Students staging an anti-privatisation protest in one of Northern Ireland's universities have claimed that water, electricity and access to toilets have been cut off in an attempt to end their occupation.

The group Occupy Coleraine has been staging a peaceful sit-in at the University of Ulster Coleraine. They are occupying the senior common room which the student group claim is being privatised into a "corporate dining suite".

The group told the Guardian: "Six members of Occupy Coleraine inside the SCR without food, water, electricity or toilet facilities. Locks have been changed and barricades erected by university contracted security. Members were told to come down or starve."

The protest group has won the support of the University of Ulster Students Union.

It said: "UUSU continue to support Occupy Coleraine following the breach of student welfare and basic human rights this morning by the University of Ulster. Water has been cut off, the electric supply has been cut off, fire exits have been blocked and a disabled student is left discriminated against and technically in danger as the lifts have been blocked off.

"This is against our students' basic human rights and we are concerned for their welfare giving the position they have been put in this morning. We commend and support them in their fight to maintain social facilities for post-grad students and staff on the Coleraine campus."

A spokesman for the university on Wednesday night said: "The university is disappointed that a small number of people – fewer than 10 – are trying to prevent improvement work to facilities at our Coleraine campus.

"We should make it clear that the senior common room on the Coleraine campus is not a facility which is open to all staff and students. It is a private club charging a fee for membership."